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Monday, August 17, 2009

It's crazy really, that I can get to my age and still not have a plan to do the housework!

Let me explain. Life is just too short to spend doing mundane chores like cleaning, vaccuuming, ironing etc when there's more interesting things to do like gardening, or other outdoor activities like diving, windsurfing, skiing, cycling, walking etc. Trouble is, there's just so many chores and so little time, and I have to do it at some stage, either that or live in a hovel (though some of my friends already think I do).

So for the last 20 odd years I've just managed to find a little time here and there to do a bit of housework, interspersed with a few yard chores and whatever else I'm doing. But I'm neither consistent nor persistent, so mostly it's too little too infrequently. Yeah OK, I live in a hovel!

I'm a list girl. I write big lists of all the things I need to do, for the year, for the month, for the week, for the day. The lists are always too long, and rarely do I complete everything on the list. Actually the only list I excel at is the one itemising what I'll pack when I go on holiday, in fact I usually manage to add a few extras onto that one!!!

Trouble is, writing down all the chores seems to make the whole thing overwhelming. I have ALL THAT to do before Christmas? And go windsurfing as well??

So it came to me in a moment of pure inspiration that just maybe if I organised myself a bit better I might have a chance of completing my chores. I am kind of wondering just how I hadn't stumbled on this possibility some time ago, like did I think I was some kind of superhero? God forbid if I'd ever had kids.

I wrote a timetable for the week, slotted in times when I'd do house chores, yard chores, yoga, learn Indonesian, study medicine, walk the dog, spend time on my photographs, and numerous other mundane intricacies of the modern working girl (not that sort of working girl!!), and even found time to socialise and - shock horror - take on an extra session at work!! I can't quite believe it myself, but I'm already less stressed and have achieved more in the last few days than I've achieved in weeks.

And all because I sat down with a pen and ruler and mapped out my day.

But let's get one thing straight - there will never be any time found in my life for ironing!

Monday, August 10, 2009

I expect that title to not be the only time I use it! Returning home after a wonderful two weeks of fun in the snow is indeed a downer, but I'm actually feeling pretty relaxed about work at the moment and seem to be able to maintain a happy distance emotionally, which is quite a new experience for me. I hope it lasts.

The first sight to greet me on returning home was a mountain of weeds, or rather, it was a bit difficult finding the driveway!! And where was the front door? Almost every spare patch of dirt is covered in metre high, happily flowering luscious greens, so the chooks and the compost patch have not been neglected this week! Unfortunately some have set seed already, devious aren't they?

The vege patch is doing well, once weeded of all those extra intruders, and there are a number of tomato plants which have self seeded, am looking forward to seeing what variety they are. The chooks have quadrupled in number whilst I was away. No, not a case of immaculate conception, but the neighbours are about to start renovations so their girls have come over the fence for a few months whilst Alan, Rhonda and the kids move into a daggy rental up the road.

Hazel has thankfully at last settled down. The holiday has perhaps taught her that I will be returning afterall, but I also think she gets such quality time hanging out with Sally and Sheridan, including lots of running around on their bush block, that it's less traumatic being away from me. Anyway, the trips down to the beach via the school busstop every morning seem to have ceased. In fact I don't think she leaves the bed all day when I head off to work!!

The weekend was glorious, with warm sunny days in the low 20s, t-shirt weather in the garden, and the beach clear of weed with turquoise blue waters. Perfect for long walks in the evening. Can't believe a week ago I was rugged up in the snow!

I'm looking forward to getting back on the bike this week, a complete impossibility last week due to a swollen knee courtesy of a mountain, zero visibility, a crash, and twenty four hours travel just to get home. I'm pretty sure it's nothing serious, since I've been back doing long walks over the weekend and weaning myself off the anti-inflammatories. Boy it's hard realising you aren't bullet-proof!!

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Hazel

My best friend and constant companion for the last 15 and a half years. She's now sleeping on a bed of seaweed in a quiet spot in my garden. I'll miss my best friend and I'll never forget all those wonderful times together.